title: The prevalence of self-harm behaviors among a sample of gastric surgery candidates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The surgical treatment of obesity is becoming increasingly popular; yet, little is known about the self-harm characteristics and adjunctive self-regulation difficulties of those seeking such surgery. In the literature, one study has explored presurgery suicide attempts and several studies have explored the prevalence of postsurgical completed suicides. However, beyond suicide attempts and completions, little is known about the broader self-harm/self-regulation profiles of these patients. In this study, we examined the prevalence of 22 such behaviors among a sample of gastric surgery candidates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a cross-sectional approach, we examined 121 surgical candidates for 22 self-reported self-harm and self-regulatory behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The studied behaviors with the highest prevalence rates in this cohort were sexual promiscuity (22.3%), torturing oneself with self-defeating thoughts (20.7%), alcohol abuse (19.0%), and engaging in emotionally abusive relationships (16.5%). With regard to suicide attempts, 9.1% of participants acknowledged a history and 9.1% reported past overdoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that (a) adjunctive self-regulatory difficulties may affect a substantial minority of individuals who are seeking gastric surgery for obesity (e.g., promiscuity and alcohol abuse), and (b) the anticipated prevalence rate for past suicide attempts in this population appears to be approximately 10%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, OH 45342, USA. randy.sansone@kmcnetwork.org
authors.forename: Randy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sansone
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Wiederman
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Routsong-Weichers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012649:Self Concept; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult